AP Gov - Important Supreme Court Cases

What principle was established in Marbury v. Madison (1803)?

Established judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional.

How did McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) define federal power?

Confirmed implied powers through the Necessary and Proper Clause and established federal supremacy over states.

What limit on congressional power was set by United States v. Lopez (1995)?

Ruled that Congress exceeded its Commerce Clause power by regulating non-economic activity.

What was the constitutional issue in Engel v. Vitale (1962)?

School-sponsored prayer violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

What did Brown v. Board of Education (1954) rule about segregation?

Declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause.

What right did Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) guarantee?

The right to an attorney for criminal defendants under the Sixth Amendment.

How did Baker v. Carr (1962) change voting rights cases?

Established that redistricting issues are justiciable under the Equal Protection Clause.

What did Shaw v. Reno (1993) say about redistricting?

Racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional if race is the predominant factor without compelling justification.

What First Amendment principle was affirmed in Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)?

Students do not lose their free speech rights at school unless it disrupts learning.

What press freedom was protected in New York Times v. United States (1971)?

The government cannot impose prior restraint on the press without a compelling reason.

What religious freedom issue was addressed in Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)?

States cannot force Amish children to attend school beyond 8th grade due to free exercise rights.

What test for free speech was established in Schenck v. United States (1919)?

Speech can be limited if it presents a “clear and present danger.”

What did McDonald v. Chicago (2010) rule about gun rights?

Incorporated the Second Amendment to the states, preventing states and local governments from infringing on the individual right to bear arms.

What was the constitutional impact of Citizens United v. FEC (2010)?

Ruled that the government cannot limit independent political expenditures by corporations and unions under the First Amendment’s free speech protections.